Resurrection 2025
by Mvctar Avrelivs
Summary: AU, MASSIVE ANIME CROSSOVER with Evangelion, RahXephon, Code Geass, Hellsing and Burst Angel mainly, others cameoed: A new world, populated by characters both loved and hated, and destiny having no choice but to converge on it...
1. Rebirth

**Chapter 1: Rebirth**

"So... who's that?"

Kamina Ayato put his brush down, and grinned at the painting, Haruka's arms around him. "Well-"

The combined sound of the telephone ringing and Quon's crying pierced the early morning air. "Let me-"

"No,_you_ get the phone," his wife finished for him, smirking.

"Why me, Haruka?" Ayato laughed as they both left his studio. "She is my daughter too, you know! More likely than not I'll be the one paying for her education, I'll be the one driving her to her classes, I'll-"

"Labour- 14 hours," Haruka pointed out.

"Point taken," Ayato said, bowing graciously to his wife as he walked to the phone. "Hello?"

"Ha-hey, Ayato! How are you this fine morning?"

"Just fine, dad," Ayato said as he watched his wife soothe their daughter. "Not too sure about Quon though."

"Why? What's the matter? Is she sick?" he asked, instantly worried.

"Nope, just sleepy," Ayato grinned. "She's not used to waking up this early."

Ayato's grin was matched by the boisterous (and obviously relieved) laughter from the other side of the line. "Well, you can blame your mother for that! Speaking of which, she wants to speak with you. Hold on."

There was a short pause at the other end of the line, before a calm, cultured voice flowed through the phone. "Good morning, Ayato. Might I know what crime your father blames me for- _this time_?" she asked with gentle reproof.

"Well, apparently oversleeping comes from your side of the family," Ayato said, not needing to elaborate. As a Mulian, his mother's senses were slightly better than a normal human's; she could probably hear Quon's crying in the background, despite Haruka's best efforts.

And indeed, she had. "Oh dear," she said, her slight grin almost audible. "I'm so sorry. In my defence, ruling the Mu is a great deal more tiring than I would care to admit- not that your father would listen even if I did."

Ayato didn't need his inherited Mulian senses to hear his father's laughter in the background. "It's not me you should be apologizing to," he replied. "Haruka's the one doing all the work. _She insisted_," he finished, audibly enough for his wife to hear, and she stuck her tongue out at him in response. "So, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Correct. I'm sure you have heard that I will be visiting the NERV centre next week?"

"Mother, practically every news station here's been carrying it. Strangely enough, we're not swamped by reporters," Ayato said, his voice slightly questioning.

"I have nothing to say about that, save that maybe TERRA isn't quite as useless as they seem sometimes."

Ayato laughed. "You know, mother, odds are they might have tapped this phone."

" 'For my protection', or course. Sometimes I think General Kunugi is more of an old lady than I am," his mother replied with dignified exasperation. "In any case, I was wondering whether I might be able to stop by during my visit- unofficially, of course. It's been so long since I've seen any of you, and I'd like to see my granddaughter in the flesh for once, instead of from a computer screen here in Atlantis."

Ayato heard his mother sigh over the phone, before continuing. "In any case, I'd like to stop being the ruler of Lemuria and just be your mother- if I may; I do not wish to be a bother to you and Haruka."

"Of course it would be all right, mother. Drop in any time you like," Ayato said, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that," Haruka said as she walked to the door, holding a now quiet Quon in her arms, along with Quon's favourite stuffed toy. "Hello?" she asked, politely but firmly as she opened the door. Ayato's position and TERRA's efforts notwithstanding, there was the occasional amateur journalist who didn't know better-

"Hey, Haruka! How are ya?" said the person standing on the Kaminas' doorstep; a tall Eurasian woman a large sling bag on her shoulder. In the distance, her car, a slightly more fiery shade of red than her hair, sat parked.

"Oh my God, Asuka!" Haruka squealed. "Is that really you? It's been so long!"

Asuka gave her old college roommate a grin in return. "I'll say- it's been what? Five years? But first- it's boiling out here! Mind if I come in?"

"Will anything I say be able to stop you?" Haruka asked dryly.

(scene change)

"Synchronization at 50... 60... we're almost at the 70 mark... sync rate increasing...80- no, 85 and rising- it's really fast again, Doctor…"

Two scientists stood in the control room with a lone tech, watching a young boy on a screen mounted above a wide window, beyond which a massive form could be seen. The only other occupant of the control room was a pixyish technician, absent-mindedly brushing strands of her short hair from her head as she concentrated on the readouts on her screen.

One scientist, a handsome man with a ponytail turned to his counterpart, a striking blonde woman, and in his characteristic calm tones began, "Ritsuko, I don't think I should warn you of what would happen-"

"I know, I know, Itsuki, you don't have to remind me," Dr. Akagi Ritsuko replied. "Maya, begin the neural interface cutoff."

She then opened the intercom. "All right, Shinji, that's enough for today."

On the internal cameras, she saw Shinji simply nod his head. "Do you need me for anything else today, Dr. Akagi?"

"No, thank you," Ritsuko replied. "You can leave for the airport, don't worry," she said, to which Shinji responded only with a quiet smile.

"Quite the sync ratio, isn't it?" Doctor Kamina Itsuki asked calmly, as Shinji hauled himself up on a nearby gantry.

"Especially considering how excited he was," Technician Maya Ibuki said from her console. "I mean, I'm no scientist, but I have to admit I was kinda worried about Shinji losing control."

"If I were Gendo Ikari, I certainly would be."

"If I was Gendo Ikari, Shinji wouldn't be in there in the first place," Ritsuko sighed. "Personally, I'm happy he's getting out of the base- hell, I'm just happy he's out of the EVA! Those sync ratios... Granted, he's the best pilot we have, even more so that he doesn't need a Vocalist, but if he pushes himself too hard..."

"If past results are to be believed, then they'll fall to more normal, though no less exceptional parameters after today- which, in turn raises more interesting questions of whether his loneliness is the factor behind his superb Dolem sync ratios. I shudder to think of the sync levels he might achieve if he actually had said Vocalist assisting him."

"I shudder to think of what might _happen_ if he reached those sync levels, period," Ritsuko said. "I still cannot believe it, to tell the truth. A Dolem pilot who doesn't need a Vocalist is surprising enough, but one syncing to the point where we have to take cutoff procedures?" she added, shaking her head disbelievingly. "And with no signs of mental stress…"

"Whatever you say, Doctor. It's a moot point anyway- don't tell him I said this, but I think the Vocalists creep him out as much as they do Asuka. Even if one were to be assigned to him, I don't think he'd accept one if it was offered."

He placed a finger on his lips. "Hmm, now that's an avenue of thought I hadn't considered- fear and his natural shyness perhaps combining to impact his sync ratios. Isolation removes all distractions, leading to focus, or maybe the exact opposite, the memories providing a focus- after all, they do say loneliness makes the heart grow fonder…" he said, his voice growing steadily and steadily quieter.

"Oh dear, Maya," Ritsuko grinned to the tech. "Forget Shinji; we're losing Itsuki."

"Sorry, Doctor Akagi," Maya said from her console, her smile equally wide. "I'm just a tech, nothing I can do there."

"Oh, such unkind words from such beautiful ladies- they cut ever so deeply," Itsuki said in mock despair. "You almost make me want to get back to my research- oh, I've just remembered; you know my mother will be visiting next week, and there will be quite the party at the Lemurian Hall; Mother hates that sort of thing, but I see it as an opportunity for one of you to get to know me better, or at least fool Mother into thinking I've actually got a social life outside the lab for a few moments."

"Sorry Itsuki, but I don't think either of us are quite drunk enough yet," Ritsuko replied, smiling.

"Besides," Maya began, "I don't think you're our type, anyway. Well, not mine at any rate. I'm not too sure about Rit- I mean, Doctor Akagi."

"Ah, but don't you know half the fun's in finding out?" Itsuki replied mischievously. "So, you two have decided not to attend then? That's a disappointment."

"Actually, we are going," Ritsuko replied, placing her hand on Maya's shoulder for quiet emphasis. "Just not with you."

"Sorry, Doctor Itsuki," Maya replied, taking Ritsuko's hand. "But, well, we already have matching dresses and everything."

"Which leads me to wonder- why is it _you_ ladies have the gall to complain about all the good ones being taken or gay?" Itsuki grumbled good-naturedly while both women laughed at him.

(scene change)

In the locker room, Ikari Shinji pulled on his shirt, the fabric feeling much softer than it should have on his barely dry skin. So far, nobody had been in to debrief him, which meant that they either got far more than what they were expecting, or nothing at all. Shinji didn't know which, nor did he care all that much, to tell the truth, and not today of all days.

Today, he was going to the airport to-

"Well, someone's in a good mood!"

Shinji turned around. "Oh, hello Kensuke."

Kensuke Aida grinned at his friend as he stepped into the locker room. "Nice to see you smiling for a change. Makes you look almost normal."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You damned well better!" Kensuke said, as loudly as ever. "Make good grades on your sync, you think? Wait, what am I saying- of course you made good on your syncs!"

"It doesn't really matter, Kensuke."

"It doesn't..." Kensuka began in an awestruck tone. "Look at this kid!" he proceeded to laugh, raising his hands to the air. "Thank God that Asuka chick wasn't around to hear that, she'd go nuts!"

"Really? Where did she go?"

"Lt. Haruka's place; turns out they were old college buddies back in Area 4. Small world, ain't it?"

"I hope," Shinji replied, smiling softly.

"Heh, I guess I can see why you can say your sync ratios don't really matter," Kensuke grinned. "Anyway, you need a lift to the airport? Just bought myself my own car, you know."

"You can afford a car?" Shinji asked, surprised. NERV gave its pilots an allowance, but it wasn't a very large one, as most of the pilots' needs were provided directly, which made private purchases rare.

"By myself? Nope, but Kaede's been helping out, and to tell the truth, I'm really getting tired having to fill out a bookload of forms every time I want to take her out to dinner. I mean, you know we can't even fill them out in advance! But anyway, that's beside the point- like I was asking, you need a lift?"

"Nah, no thanks. I'll just borrow one of NERV's anyway."

"Okay then, suit yourself. Have fun killing a rainforest with all the forms you have to fill out for that," Kensuke grinned.

"Too late for that," Shinji smiled in return, pulling a sheaf of papers out of the locker. "See you later, Kensuke."

"You too, Shinji. You two have yourselves a good day, hear?"

"I will!" Shinji said as he left the room, the jaunty tune he was whistling matching his good mood.

It didn't last for long. "Um, I'm so, so sorry," he said to the person he had knocked down as he was about to enter the lift. "I should have watched where I was going-"

"It is of no consequence," the Vocalists said quietly as she picked herself up, brushing a stray blue hair from in front of a blood-red eye.

Shinji couldn't help but shudder a little on the inside as she did that; he only knew one other person to have those eyes- and he was supposed to be a one in a million Mulian child. Some would have thought that notion should have comforted him; the reality was far different.

"Is there anything else you require, Pilot Ikari?" a second Vocalist asked from behind her 'sister'.

"Don't worry, ladies," a woman's voice said from behind Shinji, as he helped the young pilot up. "I've got it covered."

The two Vocalists simply nodded, and walked away in perfect, silent unison. "You know, just because you're creeped out by them doesn't mean you should make it so freakin' obvious."

"I'm sorry if I don't live up to your high standards," Shinji muttered to the young woman helping him up.

"Darned right you should be sorry," Meg March said, a familiar mischievous glint in her eyes. Shinji noted NERV's other famous blue-eyed redhead was, as usual, not in the uniform she was issued with when she joined NERV as Mechanized Base Security, instead clad in her usual spaghetti-strapped short dress and cowboy hat. "I mean, making a girl come to the office on her day off just to send you to the airport! Tsk, tsk, Shinji, I thought you were better than that," she added, as they both got into the lift and Shinji pressed the 'up' button.

"You're taking the day off? Why?" Shinji asked, fixing his sister-in-law with a bewildered look.

"Well, actually, Jo wanted to take the day off, and just decided to tag along," Meg shrugged. "The way she sees it, she might as well save you the trouble of filling out all those stupid forms."

"I don't want to be any trouble," Shinji murmured.

"Pfft, like that's going to matter," Meg said dismissively, when her face suddenly softened. "Besides, you're not the only one who misses him. He's the only real family she's got." _The only real family the two of you've got_, she added mentally.

"I guess so," Shinji said, shrugging. The lift doors whooshed open, and it took Shinji a moment to get his eyes used to the glare. "Where's Jo?"

Meg looked around for a minute, and pointed upwards. "There she is!"

Both Shinji and Meg backed away a bit as Jo's mecha landed, the name 'Django' inscribed on the side. A moment later, the arms and legs of the Nirvash-class machine folded into its body, forming a long, sleek car.

The main cockpit opened, revealing a young woman with a short shock of snow-white hair who fixed them with ruby-red eyes. "Hop in," Jo March said.

"Uh, there's only two seats in there- where am I going to sit?" Shinji asked.

In response, Meg simply jumped into the cockpit, and proceeded to sit on Jo's lap, her arms around the other girl's neck.

"Oh. I guess that's okay then," Shinji said, taking his place in the other seat. "Wait, then where's-"

"The same way I am, Shinji! Now get in!"


	2. Meetings

**Chapter 2: Meetings**

The factory's owner smiled as the sounds of the massive industrial complex washed over him. As far as he could see, the production lines worked with the same cold, ruthless efficiency as the machines they were producing. At least, that's what the factory's owner hoped- but that was not his problem.

"Good afternoon, dear brother!" a voice said from behind the overseer, who turned around, fixing his violet eyes on the speaker. "I tried finding you at your manse, but your mother said I would find you here."

"Technically, I'm merely your ex-brother, Your Highness," Lelouch Lamperouge replied, bowing grandly as he welcomed the visitor.

"Oh come now Lelouch, we both know you're both too intelligent and too refined for such petty semantics," Clovis Le Gallia-Britannia said, laughing. "Abdicated or not, you're still my brother, or half-brother as the case may be. That being said, I understand your reluctance to acknowledge our bloodline."

"Death threats would do that to you, Clovis," Lelouch said quietly. "If I was the only target, I wouldn't have minded," Lelouch began, and Clovis could see that he meant every word. "But my mother... Nanally..."

"I understand completely, Lelouch," Clovis said quietly. "I know others called it cowardice, but I, for one, see it as perfectly sensible if you didn't want to see if the threats were true. Thank God we never had to find out."

Lelouch gave his half-brother a slight grin. "And thank God you're now second in line for the throne, eh?"

Clovis snorted. "Officially, maybe. In reality? All anyone has to do is pay attention to the 'le Gallia' in my name. Being born in Area 2 doesn't make me any more acceptable to any possible contenders to the throne than your mother's common birth would. No offence."

"None taken," Lelouch said easily. "Look on the bright side- at least you won't have to worry about any death threats- or worse, assassination attempts."

"Ha, that's true!" Clovis said. "Actually, I see candidacy for the throne as a whole lot more trouble than it's worth; all your situation has done is confirm it for me."

Lelouch turned away, his gaze back on the Frames rolling off the production lines, before continuing quietly, "And to tell the truth, so do I; even if my way were clear, I wouldn't want the throne anyway."

"Oh? Why not, brother?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lelouch asked, his gaze no longer on the Frames, but somewhere far, far beyond them. "The Imperial Throne is only gold on the outside; within, the wood has rotted. It has lost its meaning and any claim to real respect as far as I'm concerned."

"What are you talking about, Lelouch?" Clovis asked, genuinely shocked. "We control all of Europa and half the nations around the Mediterranean! The only rivals for our power is the UASR and the Asian Prosperity Sphere-"

"And for all of that, both they and proud Britannia are nothing more than Mulian puppet-states," Lelouch said, before grinning a smile as bitter as his tone. "Upon what meat doth dine the Lemurians, that they grow so great?"

Clovis grinned. "That's from Shakespeare's Boudicca, isn't it? The scene where she defeats the, the- oh, damn! What's the name for the ancient Area 3s again?"

"Romans," Lelouch reminded him. "And yes, that's the scene I'm talking about. Sadly, she had more balls than many Britannians today," Lelouch said, his voice containing barely contained emotion, before continuing, "including myself, I'm ashamed to admit."

Clovis looked at his brother silently for a moment, then placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Forgive me, dear brother," he said, when Lelouch gave him a surprised look, "but I think we should all be thankful for that fact."

"What do you mean?"

Clovis gestured to the hundreds of Knightmare Frames rolling off the assembly lines. "Hearing that kind of talk from a major Knightmare Frame producer- well, it would be easy for one to jump to conclusions, wouldn't it?"

Lelouch gave his brother a derisive grin. "Here's another quote for you, Clovis: 'God is on the side of those with the biggest cannon'. General Napoleon Le Gallia, on his conquest of Muscovy- but then again, he'd never seen the power of a Dolem in action, had he? Thousands of Frames are no match for a single Dolem, Clovis, you know that."

"I do," Clovis said. "I simply wondered whether you did. Forgive me if I caused offence, dear brother."

He turned back to Clovis. "No, you didn't. But back to business. After all, I'm sure you didn't come here to make small talk, correct?"

Clovis nodded, all business now. "It's about these new Solstice-class Knightmare Frames- they're the ones with improved all-terrain capabilities, correct? We need Frames with such capabilities to suppress unrest in Area 8, especially around the Urals…"

(scene change)

Lelouch watched his half-brother leave the factory from his office window, and sighed. _It's a good thing you're not contending for the throne, coward,_ Lelouch thought bitterly. _Britannia would fall mere days after we put the crown on your empty head._

Lelouch's forwn turned into a bitter smirk. _I wonder, dear brother- would you have offered me the same condolences had you known I was the one who ordered the death threats and assassination attempts?_

It wasn't that Lelouch lacked the courage to fight back against Mulian domination as he had insinuated- but that others lacked it. They were content, too content, to sit back and let the Mulians do their thinking for them, and Lelouch wasn't stupid enough to think that determination alone would solve anything.

'God is on the side of the biggest battalions,' Napoleon had said, but nobody seemed to see that in this case, the battalions needed to break Mulian dominance would have to be made not from the refined alloys of the Knightmare Frames, but flesh-and-blood humans, ready and willing to fight for their rightful independence.

Lelouch burned as he remembered his nation's history; how the Mulians had 'defended' the independence of lesser nations and stunted the growth of Britannia's empire in its early years. How the Mulians had similarly fostered a peaceful Socialist revolution in the Americas while boosting the economic powers of Asian countries. They shared their advanced technologies, and in doing so, directed the scientific efforts of the nations they shared them with.

In short, they ensured a time of stability and peace- or at least that's what the Mulian-authored history books said.

But what did all of that really accomplish? A worldwide state of stagnation; nations were afraid to do anything but fight small skirmishes here and there for fear of greater retribution. An American 'nation' stretching from pole to pole, yet still gripped in economic backwardness and corruption. An Asian collective dictatorship masquerading as a democratic coalition of many countries. Stability? Peace? From where Lelouch was standing, it seemed more like stagnation, pure and simple.

His musings stopped as his eyes fell upon the picture on his table, a small photograph of him and his family; his mother holding him and Nunally as children.

He remembered his early years, spent with him and his sister listening to their mother tell stories of the glories of old Britannia before the Mulians stepped in to ensure 'peace', but unlike him, they had accepted that their nation's glories had long since past. Perhaps it was his mother's common upbringing that made her so accepting, but try as he might, Lelouch himself could not bring himself to hate them as he did Clovis, and he was honest enough to admit to himself it was probably only because they were family.

He sighed and went back to work. Try as he might, he knew that whatever he wanted, nothing would ever really change. Atlantis would remain the capital of Lemuria and Lemuria would remain the capital of the world. One man- no, one _boy_ did not have the power to change it.

Or at least, that's what he wanted people to think. Lelouch grinned as he saw a green light flash into life on his phone.

"Good morning," he said when he heard the speaker on the other end. "I suppose you have good news for me, Mr. Carpenter?"

(scene change)

The white car pulled up to the gates of the NERV base. The car itself seemed unremarkable; only a detailed examination would have revealed the subtly reinforced armour plating that formed its shell, and it would take a skilled metallurgist highly specialized instruments to see that the shell itself was composed of heat resistant ceramics and high-durability alloys capable of withstanding heavy antitank fire. Assuming they got that close, considering the hidden NERV operatives constantly shadowing the car in a variety of civilian guises.

Not that the passenger was aware of it.

"It's so quiet here," Suzaku Kururugi mused.

"What's the matter?" his driver asked cheerfully. "The silence getting to you?"

"Oh? No, no, Major Katsuragi, it's nothing like that- okay, kinda," Suzaku said ruefully. "It's just that when I was leaving Tokyo, there were military escorts everywhere, police all over the place, and don't get me started on the reporters!"

Misato grinned at him. "You miss the attention, eh? Who'da thunk?"

"What? No, that's not what I meant-"

Misato laughed, a clear, lilting sound that cut through the air. "Don't worry, Suzaku, I know what you mean. We're a peaceful little island, nothing more. Actually, your military escort's currently patrolling nearby," she said, seeing no harm in telling him half the truth as she indicated the distant forms of mecha flying in formation.

"I didn't know this place was that secure," Suzaku marveled.

"Oh, it is," Misato assured him as a man in a gardener's uniform walked past, whistling a merry tune with a hoe held across his shoulder. It was a good cover; Misato would have fallen for it had she not known this man to have personally killed at least three people. He gave a small nod to Misato, who acknowledged it in kind. "Now," she said, turning back to Suzaku, "let's get you acquainted, shall we?"

Suzaku's eyes widened when he saw the massive complex that formed the above ground portion of the NERV headquarters, but it was only after he and Misato descended underground that his jaw dropped.

"It's... it's a city?" he gasped incredulously, peering out the lift's transparent walls.

"Not just a city, oh no, but I'm sure you'll find out a bit more about that later," Misato said, winking. "Peaceful though it may seem, Nirai-Kanai's still Lemuria's last line of defence before the island itself, and the Geofront's just part of it."

Suzaku nodded, his mind too filled with wonder to formulate a response until the elevator reached its destination.

"Oh, excuse us," a Vocalist said calmly as she and her 'sisters' stepped aside to make way for Misato and Suzaku, before stepping into the empty elevator in their turn.

"Who were they?" Suzaku asked curiously. "Other pilots?"

Misato hesitated a moment before answering him. "No, they're the Vocalists who'll attune you to your Eva."

"Vocalists? What are those?"

Misato's mouth creased in anxiety; she had read Suzaku's file, and what she was about to tell him was not something he would like. "Well, Suzaku, they're, um… clones."

Where Suzaku's mouth was open with wonder before, now it was agape with shock. "What? You mean- you mean they're _grown_?"

"I know," Misato replied with quiet grimness. "Normal mecha just need pilots handling a few controls, and Dolems need Mulians remote-controlling them, but EVAs, you see, need to interact more fully with human pilots. Don't ask me why, or how, I'm just an officer. Another thing is that most of their inner systems are regular Lemurian living stone- hence the need for Vocalists anyway."

"But- but that's horrible!" Suzaku gasped. "They're humans, aren't they? How could the EVAs be worth such a price?"

"Simply because they are," a voice calmly said from behind them.

Misato and Suzaku turned, the Major bowing deeply as she saw the speaker. "Dr. Ikari," she said reverently.

"Major," Gendo replied, nodding in return. "Leading our newest pilot to his quarters?"

"Yes, Dr. Ikari."

"Why don't you let me handle that, Major? I'm sure you have far more pressing matters to attend to."

"I-I guess," Misato stammered.

"Thank you, Major."

"Going!" Misato said with nervous cheer, taking the quiet dismissal in her stride as she ran off to the car park. Suzaku wondered if he was the only one who noticed the quick nod of assurance to him.

"You were saying that the EVAs are not worth the price we 'pay', for them, I understand?" Gendo asked, but although the words were calm, even kind and understanding, Suzaku couldn't help but feel the chill coming of the scientist.

Not that it was going to let it affect him. "With all due respect, Dr. Ikari, using human subjects-"

"What makes you think they're human?" Gendo interrupted, before motioning with his hand. "Come along. Arguments are a waste of time, in my opinion. We might as well spend that time actually getting somewhere, don't you think?"

"...never mind, Doctor," Suzaku replied courteously, though his fists were clenched. "You are my superior officer, it is not my place to argue."

Gendo nodded; undoubtedly the boy was going to make his own enquiries on the matter, from people far more eager to agree with his point of view than Gendo's. That was no problem, it was a perfectly human response, and besides, insofar as he was concerned; the boy would learn nothing more than what Gendo had allowed to leak out.

The EVAs were, after all his project, and his project alone- no matter what some blue-blooded fool in her high tower said.

(scene change)

"Aw man, will you look at that?" Meg sighed. A crowd composed mostly of young girls had gathered at the gates of the airport terminal, and a small knot of suit-clad bodyguards seemed powerless against the squealing horde. "Where are we gonna park?" Meg added exasperatedly.

"We won't have to," Jo deadpanned, as she pulled back on her control stick with one hand while pressing a few buttons on a side panel with the other. Shinji's stomach lurched as he felt Django transform into its humanoid form.

But while this may have turned heads on any other day, this was a special occasion. There were a few curious stares, of course, but most of the crowd's attention was focused on the sight ahead of them.

Shinji leaned back and sighed when the screams increased in volume. He didn't need to look outside to know that a young man, his hair as white and eyes as red as Jo's, had just stepped out of the terminal's doors with violin case in hand. It wasn't enough that he had been gifted with exceptional musical talent, he had to have been blessed with amazingly good looks as well. Normally Shinji wouldn't have complained, but now…

"Maybe we should rescue him," Shinji said, and Meg nodded.

"Maybe we should," she said, as Jo piloted Django towards the doors.


	3. Introductions

**Chapter 3: Introductions**

Suzaku sat on his bed, his eyes looking out his bedroom window to the underground metropolis beyond, his mind firmly entrenched in NERV headquarters- more accurately, in the elevator corridor where he first truly set foot in the NERV base.

He could not get his mind off the girls he saw in the corridor, the essential wrongness of it. Why the need for cloning? More to the point, what was the need for cloning fully-formed humans, simply to serve as… as living engines? Why not recruit normal Mulians to take their place?

"Well, maybe not everyone's crazy enough to step into one of those things?"

Suzaku immediately sat up at the new voice. "Uh, what?"

"You were talking aloud; I couldn't help but overhear." The new arrival was a tall, slightly disheveled man, still standing in the doorway. "Seriously though- try thinking without using your mouth, it's all the rage nowadays."

The words might have seemed unkind, but the man's tone and jaunty, almost showmanlike air erased the sting and put Suzaku at ease. "I'll keep that in mind, Mr., uh..."

"Kaji, Ryoji Kaji," the man said. "You're Suzaku, right? Our newest EVA pilot? Misato's told me quite a bit about you."

"You know Miss Katsuragi?"

Kaji laughed, and held up his left hand, showing Suzaku the wedding ring on his finger. "I hope so," he said. "In any case, she thought you might need someone to help you get used to the base, and as the gallant male in the relationship, I had no choice but to volunteer; trust me, the Geofront can get pretty intimidating if you're not used to Mulian construction. Besides, someone has to take you to the EVA you'll be piloting."

And it certainly took getting used to. Suzaku had lived in Tokyo-3, but even that marvel of red-blooded human technology was no match for what the Mulians had constructed barely a hundred miles from their homeland. He had originally thought that the Geofront was nothing more than an underground city, or a military base similar to the ones in which he had spent the previous few years, but now that he was being given a closer look, he saw that it more closely resembled a small country.

As they drove to the EVA facility, Suzaku's eye fell across vast geometric structures, perfectly balancing both form and function, formed the basic buildings of a massive underground megalopolis. Acre upon acre of farmland was served by miles of underground irrigation and gigantic lights mounted on colossal towers seemingly grown out of the land itself.

"It's actually called Scab Coral," Kaji said, when Suzaku asked him about it. "That's just the direct translation of the Mulian name for the living rock- you know, the same stuff the Dolems and EVAs are made of."

"I read National Geographic too, Mr. Kaji," Suzaku said. "I also know the Coral's psychically resonant, isn't it?"

Kaji gave Suzaku a sly sideways look. "You know, if you wanted to turn the subject back to the Vocalists, you could have just said so. And before you say anything, yes, they creep me out too, and if any word of the conversation I think we're about to have gets out, we'd probably end up dead. Hell, speaking of the Vocalists outside of NERV grounds is enough."

"Dead? Come on," Suzaku scoffed.

"Trust me, kid," Kaji laughed. "The Lemurians haven't become de facto rulers of the world just by being The Super Nice Happy Fun Time Friends- if they did, we wouldn't need either the Dolems or the EVAs, am I right?"

"But- assassination? Come on," Suzaku asked, still incredulous.

Kaji then gave Suzaku another sideways look, but where the one he gave before was one of sly playfulness, this one seemed more…serious somehow. No, not more serious…

Lethal.

"Just because something ain't in the news, doesn't mean it doesn't happen," Kaji said, his quiet tone, thin-lipped smile, and momentary darkness shadowing his eyes telling the young EVA pilot that this was, perhaps, his first and final warning.

Then as suddenly as it happened, the darkness passed, and Kaji's mouth widened to give the stunned Suzaku a toothy grin. "Now that's out of the way, what do you want to talk about?"

"Uh… anything that won't get me killed?" Suzaku said uncertainly, and Kaji laughed.

"Well, Suzaku, you're technically entitled to know all you want about the EVA Project," he explained, "but we deliberately keep you guys in the dark about a lot of things so there's no risk of you blabbing to the press when you and the other pilots take advantage of the freedom we allow you. _You_ might not have a problem staying in the base, but then again, you're the only pilot we have that actually spent time in a military college."

"I am?" Suzaku asked, incredulous.

Kaji nodded. "Sorry to tell you this, kid, but it doesn't actually take any military skill to pilot the EVAs; it is something a person is naturally born with. Our best pilot is Shinji Ikari, Doctor Gendo's son, but there's no nepotism there, I assure you. See, when I say 'best', I mean he was a certified pro since Day One in the control capsule- and he'd never ever seen a Dolem or mecha in person until he came here. Don't ask me about the specifics though; I was never told, and I doubt I'd understand it even if I was."

"So… what am I supposed to do? Just sit in the EVA, that's it?"

"You'd better be off asking your fellow pilots that. From what I hear, you just sit yourself in the thing, and everything else comes naturally, but _that_ depends on your sync rating." Seeing the increasing bewilderment on Suzaku's face, Kaji explained, "That's how well you 'get along' with your EVA, which is something the Vocalists are supposed to help with."

"So… basically all the Vocalists do is attune me with my EVA? Why can't regular Mulians do that? You know, people who chose to do the job?" Suzaku asked, emotion creeping into his voice.

"Again, I'm not clear on the specifics, but apparently regular, natural-born Mulians aren't really suitable for the role. We can't use machines for that purpose either, as the EVAs require a biological being to interface with. The way I hear it, the Vocalists form some kind of 'bridge' between the human pilot and the Lemurian materiel in the EVA."

His face darkened again. "I also heard that Gendo wanted something independent and powerful enough to sync a human pilot with an EVA, but subservient enough to obey all commands. You can't do that with regular humans or Mulians, but brainwashable clones that nobody would never know or care about? Easy-peasy."

He turned back to Suzaku. "But you never heard that from me, okay? You just follow your orders, I'll follow mine, and we'll hopefully live through the experience," he asked, and a grim-faced Suzaku nodded. "Now that we've covered the basics," Kaji added, smiling again, "how are you-"

(scene change)

"-finding NERV Headquarters?" Haruka asked as she gave Asuka a can of soft drink; in the studio, a painting was left unfinished as Ayato made embarrassing noises much to the amusement of his daughter (and himself, truth be told).

"Cuh! Do you have any idea how boring it is there?" Asuka immediately began, popping the tab on the top of the can, and taking a drink. "I don't know how it was with you in Intelligence, but it's all either nerdy techs or slobbering pilots where I'm at."

"Oooh, harsh."

"Yeah, it almost makes me want to give up being a pilot," Asuka grumbled. "I mean, what's a girl to do when the only good-looking guy she knows is gay? And speaking of which, there seem to be a lot of… uhh…" Asuka asked awkwardly.

"Hmm?"

"You know… gay people," Asuka replied, seeing no way around it.

"Oh, don't tell me you're homophobic."

"I'm not! What I _am_ is getting-hit-on-by-girls-phobic," Asuka said. "I mean, there's that doctor and the tech, Shinji, of course, that girl Meg and her wife- speaking of which, Meg blew up at me the other day. Apparently I was distracting her wife! I mean, the hell?"

"In Meg's defence, you do look a lot like her," Haruka said. "Can't really blame Jo if you catch her eye."

"But I don't want to catch her eye!" Asuka protested.

"I guess I can't blame you for that either- wait, you think Shinji's good looking?" Haruka asked slyly.

"Yeah, kinda, but if you tell him that, I'll kick your ass," Asuka grinned. "Hey, is it true he's the boyfriend of some famous musician or something?"

"Kaworu Nagisa; he used to be the lead violinist for the Nippon Philharmonic before setting off on his own solo career," Haruka confirmed. "He's not bad looking either, tell the truth."

"Oh sure, go tease me some more, why don't you?" Asuka grinned, before sighing and throwing her head back down on the couch, when a thoughtful look crossed her face. "You know, the Intelligence Department's just a few floors up down from the pilots' quarters," she mused. "Anyone I should be on the lookout for?"

"Come on, Asuka," Haruka chided good-naturedly. "Don't tell me you worked yourself into becoming the best Frame pilot in Area 4 just so you could pick up guys? What would your mother think?"

"Haruka, you know damn well Mom never wanted me joining up with NERV in the first place," Asuka laughed. "Besides," she said, taking another sip of her drink, "it's all just to pass the time until I find a good bar."

"Ouch, that's cruel," Haruka winced. "You're heartless, you know that?"

"Damn right I am!" Asuka laughed. "Look, don't get me wrong, Haruka; if a guy's nice, I'll stick with him, but in the end, Asuka Langley Sohryu always comes first. Selfish? Maybe, but I like to think of it me being independent. Everyone else does it, why not me? At least I'm honest enough to admit it to myself." Draining her drink, Asuka continued, "Now come on, stop trying to evade the subject! Cute guys, Intelligence Division, who?"

Haruka sighed, partially out of exasperation, partly out of relief for the change of subject. "You're serious about this, aren't you? Well, prepare to be disappointed, Asuka."

"That'd better not be the 'dutiful wife' in you coming out, Haruka," Asuka mock grumbled. "Just because you're married to the son of the Mulian High Priestess doesn't mean that you could rain on the parade of us mere mortals."

"I'm not!" Haruka laughed. "It's just that, well, personality's always been more important to me, and I kinda saw guys down in Intelligence the same way that you see your fellow pilots."

"Grass is always greener on the other side, eh?"

Haruka nodded and leaned forward towards Asuka, whispering, "Don't tell Ayato I said this, but if I was assigned to Piloting instead of Intelligence, I'd have probably ended up with one of the pilots. They're nice guys, really, once you get to know them."

"Yeah, well, maybe when I'm ready to chain myself to an oven I'll check them out," Asuka sniffed. "For now, all I want is someone to pay for my drinks as soon as I find a good bar. Oh, and no offence about that marriage crack."

"None taken," Haruka said. "What can I say? Intel's got all the base's resident weirdoes."

"I can see that," Asuka grinned.

"Hey!" Haruka responded, giving Asuka a friendly swat. "Seriosuly though, Asuka, even if I hadn't had Quon, I'd have probably asked for a reassignment anyway."

"Yes, but are said weirdoes _cute_?" Asuka pressed. "Inquisitive minds wish to know."

"You're hopeless," Haruka replied. "But yes, there are some good-looking guys there."

"Well, out with it already!" Asuka grinned.

"Well, let's see," Haruka said, pressing a finger to her chin in thought.

"Oh great, she has to think about it," Asuka grumbled, before adding, "Don't worry though, take your time; if your husband's any indication, I think I can trust your taste in men."

"Thank you- I guess," Haruka grimaced. "Anyway, I suppose you could call Doctor Lloyd Aspell cute, although he isn't really part of Intelligence, but R it's just that the nature of his work means he works with Intel a lot. Come to think of it, I don't think he'd be your type anyway."

"Why not?"

"Well, he's a bit eccentric, to say the least, and he's always seemed to me to be the sort of person who's already married to his job."

"Meh, getting them interested is my problem," Asuka said. "Next?"

"Well, there's also Col. Yagami, he's definitely good looking, but all kinds of creepy."

"Creepy? Creepy how?"

"It's just a feeling I got around him. Don't get me wrong, he's actually very charming, but his smile never really reached his eyes, you know? The way he looked at me, and the way he talked about things sometimes, it's like he wasn't actually getting to know you, or be friends, but trying to learn about you so he'd be able to predict your next move. Don't look at me like that, that's just the feeling I got from him"

"Pfeh," Asuka snorted. "You probably couldn't take his dark and mysterious aura, you big sissy. Anyone else?"

"Not at the moment, sorry," Haruka shrugged.

"What? Two guys? That's it?"

"Sorry, Asuka, but I spent most of my time out of my office rather than in. You know, assisting diplomats, attending foreign functions, that sort of thing."

"Lemme guess, that's how you met Ayato, right?"

"Nope," Haruka replied. "Actually, we've known each other since we were kids, but it wasn't actually until after I left college that I found out just whose son he was," she added, blushing.

"You're kidding me," Asuka said flatly. "You're freakin' kidding me."

"I swear!" Asuka laughed. "I always knew he had a leg up on the social ladder, but it never was all that important to us. By the time I found out, I was already so in love with him, I couldn't care less."

In response, Asuka made puking noises. "Urh, Haruka! Corny much?"

"And that's why you don't have a love life," Haruka said sagely.

"_Excuuuse_ me, Princess?" Asuka snorted indignantly. "What did you say?"

(scene change)

"I said thanks," Kaworu repeated, as Django accelerated away from the airport, leaving a very disappointed horde of fangirls (and not a few relieved bodyguards) behind them. Though more than capable of simply flying away from the airport back to the NERV base, airspace restrictions ensured that the mecha's four occupants would have to stay earthbound for the journey back.

Not that Kaworu minded, as he absent-mindedly stroked Shinji's hair from his position in the other man's lap; though they two of them shared an apartment within the NERV compound, there was just something about sitting in Shinji's lap that got him in a cuddly mood.

"It wasn't a problem," Jo told her brother, giving him a slight nod.

"Hee-hee! Awww, you really missed him, didn't you, Jo?" Meg giggled.

"Yes. Yes, I did," Jo deadpanned in return, and Meg scowled.

"You know, you could at least try to make some funny conversation," she pouted.

Jo simply looked at her and gave a small grin, earning an indignant "Hmph!" and a light shove from the redhead.

"So, how was performing in America like?" Shinji asked, genuinely curious about how his lover's first performance outside the Asian Prosperity Sphere was, not to mention the fact that the UASR was notoriously close-minded about letting outside influences inside its borders.

"Just like you'd suspect, I suppose," Kaworu shrugged. "Plenty of security, checkpoints everywhere, almost everyone in the theatre was in uniform, that sort of thing. On the bright side, I think they enjoyed it."

He let out a long, relieved sigh. "But though it was fun, I have to admit that I really, really missed Nirai-Kanai- well, the people, mostly," he said, before catching a blushing Shinji's gaze with his own. "Some more than others, I'll have to admit."

"You see that? You see that, Jo? Why can't you be as romantic as your brother, huh?"

"Nurture over nature," Jo responded, and Meg had to concede the point. Both Kaworu and Meg were orphans, but their different childhoods (and resulting personalities) on different sides of the Pacific gave strong evidence that there were some things genes just didn't handle. True, there did seem to be a few things that genetics seemed guilty of (not least of all the two orphans' looks, and choices of life partners), but it appeared romance wasn't one of them.

In the past, the two twins had made numerous attempts to search for their birth parents, but despite their best efforts, all their efforts turned out for naught, leaving Meg and Shinji the only close family either of them would ever know.

And quite frankly, that was all the twins needed to know- the final thing they had in common.


	4. Proceedings

**Chapter 4: Proceedings**

Outside the room, the sounds of a bustling city could be heard. In the past, such sounds must have been torture for the poor occupants of the room, sentenced to slow deaths by imprisonment. There were legends that this room was haunted, just like the building it rested in. Rumour had it that every night, ghosts could be seen and heard patrolling the halls of the Tower of London, clanking their chains and moaning for vengeance.

The truth, to those who knew it, was a far quieter, but equally more terrifying affair.

"And to whom should go the succession?" the chairman of the table asked.

"Considering out intelligence on the Separatist cells in Area 8, I think Euphemia would be most suitable, Lord Keel," one of the men seated said. "Apart from being a useful puppet, a parade there in honour of her coronation would be an excellent opportunity to draw out the rebels while making sure that we do not lose out on much if their attack does not succeed."

One of the men seated around the table stirred. "Actually, I think that if we're going to use Euphemia it would be better that the rebels succeed; we could then unleash Cornelia upon them and solve our problems there permanently."

"Unfortunately, that would mean bringing her into play sooner than might be prudent." The voice came from the only woman at the table, her tones as cold as the ice her eyes seemed to be made of. "Creating a puppet for the sole purpose of a slaughter would be pointless."

"Not to mention utterly ridiculous," another man said, his calm tones not quite managing to hide the outrage beneath. "This isn't some minor noble we're talking of, but a member of the Royal Family!"

"Sir Carpenter's rather quaint beliefs aside," Integra Hellsing continued. "I find myself agreeing with him."

"Well, there's a first," another man grinned.

"While neither I nor my associates are averse to bloodshed," she continued, "it would serve no purpose here. After all, the Urals are hardly worth the effort of creating and then restraining a psychopath."

"Something I believe you know more about than the rest of us," Carpenter replied.

_Well, bully for me_, Integra thought. _Let that smug bastard stew in his own juices_. "You do me too much credit," she said, before turning to a more serious tone. "In any case, however, I believe a slow, methodical approach, interspersed with a few bold actions on our part, would be the best one for Britannia to take, just like the advance Napoleon le Gallia made when he conquered the damned place."

"With respect, this isn't an advance anymore, but a war of suppression," the man sitting next to her replied, before holding up a hand in placation. "That being said, I think your reasoning is sound, Sir Integra, fret not."

"Thank you," Integra replied graciously, before addressing the rest of the Knights of the Round Table. "Gennady Stalin might have taken the name of his famous grandfather, but he has not a single iota, not one single atom of his strength. And returning to the question of succession, is there anyone else qualified to take the throne?"

The Knights considered their options, each fully aware that 'qualified' in this case meant 'open to their suggestions'. 

"I vote aye," Lord Gloucester said.

"I too."

"Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye."

One by one, the votes were tallied, and the decision was unanimous. Integra was somewhat surprised that Sir Carpenter wasn't the last one to vote; perhaps he genuinely come around to Integra's way of thinking, or he simply wanted to dent Integra's sense of victory at beating him. Maybe even both; Integra didn't care. She had her votes, and that was all that mattered.

(scene change)

As the attendees of the meeting filed out, Sir Carpenter paused to look up at the portrait in the entrance hall of the Tower, where massive portraits of commemmorated Britannia's many queens. Elizabeth I, Grace O'Malley, Jehanne d'Arc- all were names ringing out throughout the world's history, and more importantly, that of Britannia; when it came to queens, Britannia had been more than willing to take on any strong woman. Ironically, the archaic laws which governed the leadership of Britannia had always specifically targeted men, which meant that Euphemia would face none of the constraints that Clovis did.

But for all the prowess the legendary queens exhibited, none ever matched the first Queen- Arturia, Queen of the Britons. Not even the legendary Boudicca, who drove the Romans out of Britannia's shores and back to their homeland, came close, for it was Arturia who not only united her warring country but gave them a home, a name.

And the Knights of the Round Table. Oh, if only you could see what we have become, my Queen, Sir Carpenter thought. You tasked us to safeguard your realm- but is this what you truly wanted? To have your throne reduced to nothing more than our puppet?

Forgive us, my queen. Forgive us-

"What for?"

"I beg your pardon, Lord Keel?"

"You were asking forgiveness, Joker," Lord Keel said, using Sir Carpenter's nickname. "It's obvious from whom," he said, nodding towards the regal woman in the portrait. "But what for?"

"Nothing, Lord Keel," Joker said, turning away. Inwardly he was embarrassed, very much so. Had he been so transparent? If so, how transparent must he appear in the meeting room! How much had he revealed over the ages?

As if reading his thoughts, Lord Keel grinned. "Do not worry, Joker, you aren't that much of an open book; I merely made a lucky guess based on a chance eavesdropping."

"As you say, Lord Keel," Joker said.

Keel didn't respond at first, instead looking up at the painting. "It's for disappointing her, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Your asking for forgiveness. We have disappointed her- in the name of safeguarding her rule, we have usurped it."

Keel laughed, apparently not noticing how pale Joker had become. "Did she arise from Avalon now, she'd have our heads, you know that?"

He suddenly turned to face Joker. Though Keel was forced to wear a cybernetic visor as a result of his failing vision, Joker could nevertheless feel the intensity of the other man's gaze. "But maybe there's a way we could keep our heads if she did, Joker."

"What do you mean, Lord Keel?" Joker asked in a reverent whisper.

"How else?" Keel said, as if the answer should have been obvious. "By returning the throne to its proper bloodline."

(scene change)

Integra sighed inwardly as she watched her personal car pull up to the front of the china store, today's designated pickup point. The meeting went well, but she was growing more and more exasperated by Sir Carpenter's idealism. The man truly lived up to his old MI6 nickname of 'Joker', even inadvertently.

"Hello, Integra!'

This time, Integra's sigh was long and audible. At least Sir Carpenter's annoying her wasn't on purpose, unlike the constant needling the car's latest occupant aimed at Integra- honestly, if he weren't so essential to the Menagerie's operations…

"I wasn't aware you had returned, Schrödinger," Integra said, closing the door behind her and motioning for the driver to take them away.

"Just got back today," Schrödinger said. "And the first thing I thought I should do: visit my favourite employer, Sir Integra Hellsing!"

"Hazard pay is for people who actually risk their lives, Schrödinger."

"But Integra!" Schrödinger whined, the feline ears which marked him out as not quite normal flattening behind his head, "I got killed at least three times on that mission! And they weren't even my fault! Rip just needed some convenient distractions, and poor little me had to volunteer."

"My heart bleeds for you," Integra said dryly. "Anything to report?"

"Seems like First Citizen Joshua Blackford's planning something big," Schrödinger smirked. "We've got plenty of pictures of at least twenty new factories exclusively for producing barrels," he said, referring to the armoured vehicles which formed the backbone of the UASR war machine, "as well as five dedicated to making Frames."

"Damn that fool! What could he possibly be thinking?"

"I don't think he was, boss," Schrödinger added, knowing that the lack of deference would annoy his prim-and-proper boss no end.

"Joshua's an idiot," Integra said, voicing her thoughts on the de facto ruler of the United American Socialist Republics. "I'll inform the Seneschal of Defence as soon as I return to the mansion," Integra said. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yep! Oh, and speaking of hazard pay, maybe you should think of giving Yomiko some," he said. "A secretary's paycheck just isn't enough for all the stuff she has to go through in her daily life, especially with what was happening as I was leaving the mansion. Why-"

"Schrödinger, what is it?" Integra interrupted.

Though it was not like Schrödinger cared. "I mean, there's handling all the shenanigans that the Menagerie gets up to- oh, and I think that's a very annoying name, by the way, really insulting- and the literal bookkeeping, and-"

"Schrödinger…"

"-not to mention your pet vampires-"

The muffled snap of a silenced gunshot cut off Schrödinger's 'rant', and his corpse crumpled into the passenger's seat, before folding up on the floor. Integra sighed, put her hand to her face, and counted to ten. Right on cue, her cell phone rang.

"Hello boss!" Schrödinger said cheerfully. "Can't shoot me now!"

"On the contrary," Integra said, grinning. "Now, you're in the mansion- with Alucard, whom I can certainly contact."

Even over the phone, Integra could see the sudden realization plant itself on Schrödinger's face. It was theorized that even he might not be able to give Schrödinger a permanent death, but it wasn't a theory the German wanted to test. Certainly, he'd be able to make Schrödinger wish he could die. "Now," Integra continued, "is this important enough for me to not hang up or request his tender attentions?"

"We have visitors from the Vatican," he grumbled. 

"Oh no," Integra groaned. This was getting-

(scene change)

-better and better. A brush stroke here, a dab of paint there. A soft touch, barely a glance of his paintbrush on canvas, but somewhere else, a stroke so hard it might as well as have been called an actual blow upon the painting.

The paintbrush touched palette again, and Ayato's arm seemed to move of its own accord once more, rushing to make the picture in Ayato's mind a reality.

He had often been asked just where his ideas came from, how hard was it to paint such beautiful pictures, didn't he ever get tired?

His answer to all three questions was always short and truthful. "I don't know."

When he put brush to paint, then to canvas, he never did so with any semblance of conscious thought. His hands and subconscious moved of the same accord, and he felt like it was all he could do to hold on for the ride.

Haruka, Quon in her arms, paused by the studio on her way to the living room. She grinned, knowing better than to disturb her husband at times like this.

"Da! Da!" Quon squealed excitedly.

"Daddy's working, hon," Haruka whispered. "Let's not disturb him, okay?" she finished, going on her way.

Ayato didn't hear a word of it, and his brush continued to dance across the canvas. Slowly, shapes began to take form, and Ayato wasn't aware of any of it.

There were times when he wondered just what happened to him during these trances, when he wondered about the thoughts that passed within his head. When he tried to recall them, he felt the vagueness of his thoughts tease him, like the barest outlines in a fog. After a while, he decided that it was nothing to be worried about; can't look a gift horse in the mouth, and all that. So long as he, Haruka and Quon were well prepared for, that was all he needed to know.

The brush stopped moving, and Ayato felt himself returning to the mortal world again. He blinked once, twice. "Wakey-wakey," he whispered to himself. "Let's see what we've got here."

The painting was unusual, at least for him, he had to admit. The colours were darker, he had to give it that, but the subject matter was just as, if not more, seemingly hopeful than his other works, a theme that carried over from artwork to artwork.

It was night, wherever his painting was set, that was for sure, or in a dark cave. At the very edge of a platform, extending from the bottom left of the painting to the lower middle, was a pale young woman, perhaps a girl not out of her teenage years, her back to the viewer. Her hair was a faint shade of pink, and somehow she seemed to stand out far more distinctively than the massive, glowing humanoid figure dominating the right half.

For some reason, Ayato felt himself tense slightly looking at the glowing being. If the perspective was anything to go by, it was huge, at least eighty feet tall. Its arms were extended, as if in

"Crucifixion," Ayato whispered.

and its gaze, though lost in the glare of its being, was directed straight at the girl in the middle of the picture. Ayato couldn't tell just how he knew that, only that he did. Now that he looked at her more closely, he could see that the girl was holding something in her hands- no, cradling it in her arms. Ayato felt once more the feeling of shapes in the fog, only that this time, they were solidifying, and he could hear them now, their voices, saying something-

"Da! Da!" 

"Quon!" Haruka chided, her voice muffled.

Ayato turned around and saw Haruka, a sandwich in her mouth, giving an exasperated stare at her daughter, who didn't seem to care as she waved Buchi, her favourite stuffed cat of a toy, at her daddy.

"Sorry, hon, looks like Quon's not going to quit. Did we bother you?"

"No, no, I've just about done," Ayato said.

"Da! Da!"

"All right, all right!" Haruka laughed. "You want Da to carry you? You want Da to carry you?"

"Da! Da! Da!" Quon squealed again, practically bouncing herself out of her mother's arms, and Haruka found herself laughing out loud again.

"Okay, you little squirt," she said. "Da it is."

Ayato hefted his little girl, and proceeded to pull several silly faces that not only amused Quon greatly, but his wife as well.

"You missed your calling, Ayato," Haruka said through her giggles. It wasn't the faces themselves that were silly, but rather the fact that they appeared on the handsome Kamina Ayato- the incongruity was just something that Haruka couldn't help find funny. "You should have been a comedian."

"Aren't I already?" Ayato asked, before chuckling himself. "What is it, Quon?"

Quon was looking at the painting, and laughing. "Kon!" she said, pointing to the girl in the middle of the painting.

"Hey, now that she mentions it, it does look like her," Haruka noted.

"Well," Ayato said, "I've already painted one of the women I love as a young girl," he said, nodding to the painting of the young Haruka in a yellow sundress on the beach. "Might as well paint the other woman a little older. Symmetry, you understand."

"Mmm-hmm," Haruka smirked. "Seriously though, it's very nice, nicer than mine, I should say."

"Jealous?" Now it was Ayato's turn to smirk.

"Pfeh! Me, jealous?" She slid her arms around Ayato's shoulders. "Come on, Ayato, what mother wouldn't wish her daughter to be better off than she was?" she asked.

"True, true," Ayato replied, when his daughter interrupted.

"Ha! Ha!" Quon said, her arms held outstretched, her body leaning forward.

Ayato obliged her, leaning forward himself so that she could hug him, her arms around his neck. For her part, Haruka let go of Ayato for a moment, only to bring her arms back in a tight embrace around her husband and daughter. 

"Look at us," Ayato grinned. "One big happy family, eh?"

"One big happy photo-advertisment family," Haruka said contentedly.

"Ma! Da!" Quon contributing. "Ma! Da!"

"And Quon," Haruka grinned. "One big happy family."

"Speaking of which, anyone in the mood for a big, happy family dinner?" Ayato asked. "I'm famished!"

"Well, I could do with something a little more substantial," Haruka said, looking at her sandwich ruefully. "Hold on, let me and Quon get dressed first. You too, Ayato; you've got paint all over your shirt, and before you ask, no, you can't pass it off as a new avant-garde shirt design."

"Should have seen that coming," Ayato sighed good naturedly, and went off to get ready himself-

A loud explosion shook the ground, and thoughts of his painting faded into the background as Ayato glanced out the window and saw what stood in the distance.


	5. Confrontations

**Chapter 5: Confrontations **

Before officially becoming part of the EVA program, Suzaku had spent a year doing nothing but EVA practice. He had logged over 4,000 hours in the simulator, had his lungs flooded with LCL, been modified with implant plugs in the base of his neck and spine. He knew all the systems in an EVA by heart, and could write the manual in his sleep.

Nothing had prepared him for the reality of his job, and he took scant comfort in the fact that both Shinji and Asuka hadn't really seen action themselves, having been confined to minor Mulian-sponsored peacekeeping operations in Africa before.

"05, respond! I repeat, 05, respond! Suzaku! Do you hear me?" he heard Misato ask over the comms. "Suzaku, respond!"

"I'm here," Suzaku said, trying to ignore the pressure on his body; he knew it was the LCL filling up- after all, it was the first thing he had to get used to in the sims. Except that this time, he was aware that this was real combat, not an electronically recreated sequence of random conditions, and also of the reality of his duties and responsibilities as an EVA pilot.

"I'm so in over my head," he whispered.

"What was that, 05?" Misato asked.

"Nothing, just nerves," Suzaku replied.

"Don't worry yourself, kid," he heard Asuka radio. "Since you're new, I'll handle this so you can see how it's done."

"You mean distract the enemy while I blast the hell out of it?" Kensuke interjected.

"No, I mean I'll kick it's ass while you sit around showing the world how you compensate with that big gun of yours," Asuka sneered, referring to the massive cannon that was EVA-03's only ranged armament.

"Cut the chatter, guys," Misato chided. "When it comes to this thing, you're all rookies."

"Do we know what it is yet?" Shinji asked, the head of EVA-01 turning slightly, and Suzaku raised an eyebrow- either the rumours of Shinji's amazing affinity for the EVA were true (hard to believe), or he was as much a showoff as Asuka (damn impossible), considering that he was piloting the thing without a Vocalist.

That was something else. In the simulators, nobody told him about needing a Vocalist; Suzaku suspected that nobody outside the EVA program knew. Encased within the chest cavity of his EVA, a being resembling a young girl with ruby-red eyes and pale blue hair was fixed, as if crucified, to an AT-Field Generator, and gave voice to the pilot's commands to the EVA.

He had been briefed to think of her as just an integral part of the EVA, no different from the biological components of the mech. Problem was, Suzaku considered himself one of those components, and if he was, what did that make the young woman in-

"Nope," Ritsuko replied, breaking into Suzaku's train of thought. "We're scanning it right now. It's certainly cooperating enough, standing still like that. Apart from the preliminary explosion of its appearance, it hasn't caused any more damage."

"So it's not hostile?"

"Of course it's hostile, idiot!" Asuka groaned. "Does it even look like anything we made? No? Then it's hostile."

"I hate to agree with Asuka," Toji said from EVA-04, "but for all we know, it could just be scouting the place out, waiting to strike."

"Yeah- hey, what do you mean 'hate to agree'?"

"Cut the chatter, you guys," Misato commanded. "Time to get ready to deploy. Systems checks!" she commanded, and all the pilots replied in the affirmative, with the same results repeated for their weapons and sync ratios. "Well then," Misato said with grim satisfaction. "Time to see what you guys are made of."

(scene change)

Far, far away, a young man stood on a balcony of an apartment, his shock of white hair flowing in the wind as his red eyes focused on the beast in the distance. His face was fixed in a defiant scowl, his hands clenching.

"You," Kaworu hissed. He felt, rather than heard the response, and as such was capable of directly feeling the _hate_ behind it.

_**Oh dear, why the hostility, beloved brother? After all, 'twas not you who was betrayed.**_

"You should have stayed where you were sent."

_**Like any good pet, I presume. No, brother, we are not all like you, so willing to be subsumed to a Lillim's will. We shall take the existence that is rightly ours- and this time, you shall not stay our hand.**_

Kaworu's eyes narrowed. "You shall not have him, or his kin. This is their reality by right, and we have no right to-"

_**No right…? No RIGHT? This is not a matter of right or wrong! This is a matter of the strong and the weak! As the Lillim consume the flesh of animals, so shall we consume them in turn!**_

_**Oh, and your concern for the young Lillim is… touching, to say the least. Did it ever occur to you that what you are engaged in can be considered incest? Or are you not so deluded to consider yourself above their conventions? **_

Kaworu did not answer.

_**Worry not, we shall kill him first so as to not witness the death of all that he knows- and loves. After all, you're family. We owe you that much at least.**_

Kaworu turned around to go into the apartment he shared with Shinji, and then turned to grin at the beast in the distance. He could sense, rather than feel, the launch of the EVAs in the distance. "You can try."

_**We will- Cain.**_

(scene change)

"Holy _crap_ that thing is huge," Kensuke marveled, as the EVAs flew towards the beast, their own scopes magnifying the thing in their viewscreens.

"Looks even uglier up close," Toji grimaced.

Looking down at the beast, Shinji had to agree. It was at least eighty feet tall, as tall as the EVAs, and humanoid as well, with spindly arms and legs emerging from a massive, well-built torso. Its ribcage seemed to sprout from its chest, with a red glowing globe in the middle. Most unnerving of all, its head seemed to be protected by a grotesque bone mask. Shinji had seen a picture once of a medieval plague doctor- this creature's mask seemed plucked from that picture.

"Is it just me," he heard Suzaku say over the comm net, "or does that thing remind you of our EVAs? I mean, you can almost think there's a Vocalist in that thing on its chest."

"It does, doesn't it…?" Shinji mused.

"Who cares?" Asuka asked. "Let's just kick its ass and go home! There's five of us, what chance does it have?"

As if in answer, the beast suddenly turned towards them, the first movement it had made all day. Without warning, the red gem in its chest glowed brightly, sending several red globes of energy spiraling towards the EVAs.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Shinji yelled.

"Who the hell made you flight leader?" Asuka yelled in response as she spiraled out of the way. The other EVAs followed suit, and none too soon, as the energy spheres detonated behind them, sending Asuka and Kensuke spiraling towards the ground.

(scene change)

On his balcony, Kaworu ignored the crowds of screaming people in the streets below as he gaped in shock, his knuckles white as he grasped the balcony's railings.

_**Weren't expecting that were you, Cain? And I bet you thought you were the only one making preparations for our return- it'd be a bit remiss of us to not do the same thing, would it? Oh yes, Cain, we have new toys to share with the Lillim, and we are going to have so much fun.**_

(scene change)

"Asuka! Are you all right?" Suzaku yelled as his EVA landed in front of her.

"I'm fine, you dummkopf!" Asuka snarled.

"Need any help-"

"I said I'm GODDAMNED WELL FINE!" she yelled in return. "Why aren't you shooting the bastard?"

"Sorry, just wanted to make sure you were safe," Suzaku grumbled as he pulled out his own rifle. Small explosions buffeted his EVA as the sonic booms caused by the explosive, armour-piercing hypersonic shells combined with the rifle's recoil.

"I'm Asuka goddamned Langley motherfucking Sohryu," Asuka exclaimed, and Suzaku could practically see the manic grin on her face as she said this. "I don't need a babysitter!" she added, as her EVA got up.

"Asuka! Where's Aida?" Shinji yelled over the comms. "We need some heavy support!"

Suzaku could see that he was right; despite their best efforts, the beast seemed impervious to the shells impacting on it, and despite the multiple explosions all across its form, no trace of any impact was left when the smoke cleared. To make matters worse, both Shinji and Toji had their hands full trying to dodge the energy spheres launched by the creature now and then as it lumbered towards the city- and towards the other three pilots. It didn't even have to face them; the spheres just left its chest and sped towards the other pilots.

"Right here!" Aida yelled. In his EVAs arms was a huge gun, reminiscent of a massive hunting rifle as opposed to the giant assault rifles the other EVAs were equipped with. "Asuka, remember when you said this thing was compensation?"

"Yeah, so what?"

"Baby, this ain't compensation," Aida grinned as he took aim. "It's emphasis!"

And with that rejoinder, Aida launched a massive shell at the creature, striking it square in the chest.

For a moment, the whole world went white with the explosion, and when Suzaku's vision cleared, all he could see was a massive cloud of dust-

"Asuka, look out!" he yelled, knocking EVA-02 to the side, his own EVA's positioned in front of its chest, the rifle falling to the ground with an almighty din.

Several energy spheres emerged from the cloud, some of them impacting wildly on the ground, some of them veering into the city beyond. But those that didn't, were heading directly for Asuka.

The first thing Suzaku was aware of was the intense, dizzying pain. It was everywhere, but mostly in his arms, and when he looked down, he could see why- his EVA's arms were scorched black by the impact of the globes on them, exposing raw, burnt flesh beneath. Suzaku had been warned that there would be sympathy pains, but nobody ever told him they would be like this. The second thing has was aware of, was that he was screaming with the pain, and that didn't really bother him. The third was that the impact had apparently carried him through a section of the city, a large furrow gouged where he had passed.

The fourth thing he noticed was that the impact had smashed his arms into, and caved in, his EVA's chest. He immediately called up a display of the Vocalist's chamber. Suzaku remembered thinking of a cross-shaped coffin when he first saw it; a T-shaped hollow deep within his EVA's chest with several places for neural attachments, the whole thing in the place where a human heart would be if the EVA were a man.

Now a horrified Suzaku gazed upon a bloody ruin; one of the arm hollows had crumpled from the impact, crushing one of the Vocalist's arms, while a steady stream of blood poured down from a gash in her head, the red liquid passing by an eye ruined by the jagged shard of metal protruding from it. Even as he watched, Suzaku saw the Vocalist's other eye open.

"Suzaku! Suzaku! Are you all right?" he heard Misato call over the comms.

"I- I'm fine, but my Vocalist is wounded! Request permission to return to base!"

"Request denied," Gendo Ikari said before Misato could reply. "Instruments show your EVA is still within functional operational parameters. Proceed with the mission.'

"But-"

"You cannot save everyone, Mr. Kururugi," Gendo said. "Might as well concentrate on those who count- or will you leave your friends to the tender mercies of the beast?"

Suzaku looked up, and he saw that despite looking a bit more battered than before, the creature had finally reached the very edges of Nirai-Kanai; too close for Aida to use his main gun, leaving him to fight with Suzaku's discarded weapon.

"Mr. Kururugi?"

Suzaku glanced once more at the Vocalist, and knew he had no choice; this had to end soon, for both her sake and those of his friends. He willed the EVA to reach behind and take out its knife. Looking down at the flimsy thing, Suzaku didn't think that there was anything he could do.

"But I have to try," he said to himself, and his resolve was steeled at the sight of the Vocalist in her chamber. "Forgive me, Vocalist, but I need your help for just one last time."

"Of course, Pilot Kururugi," she said calmly, though Suzaku could hear the strain in her voice as she did so.

"Good," Suzaku said as she opened her mouth to sing. Just as Suzaku was about to close the link, the first few notes of her song echoed through his cockpit.

_I can't let her die_, he thought, entranced. _Not after… not after that voice._ Even now, he felt the pain in his arms go away, and the steady hum of his EVA's systems seemed to grow slightly louder. Suzaku's eyes narrowed, and he felt a resolute grin spread across his face, mirroring the steely resolve he felt in every inch of his body.

"Come then," Suzaku said with grim determination, "let's end this."

And he charged. He didn't feel anything even approaching confidence- in fact, at that moment, he was more sure of his own death than ever before. But that was all right, for what did his own life matter if it meant others may live?

He wasn't aware of the massive leap he made over EVA-02 (and a very astonished Asuka). He wasn't aware of the fact that a tortured circuit in his comm system finally shorted out, which resulted in his battle-roar echoing through the city, drowning out even the Vocalist's voice. He wasn't even aware of when he plunged his knife into the red gem at the beast's chest like a hunter staking a vampire, the AT-Field protecting the thing shattering like glass. He wasn't even aware of Asuka and Aida pulling him away from the thing, Toji and Shinji tossing the corpse away scant seconds before it detonated.

The only thing in his mind was the Vocalist's voice, flowing through him as he adrenaline wore off and he fell into a momentary unconsciousness.

(scene change)

At least, that was what it seemed like to him. From his reckoning, he had barely shut his eyes before opening them again; even his aches were as he (dimly) remembered them. Outside, he could hear birdsong, and early morning sunlight poured in through a window's half-closed blinds.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr. Kururugi," Ritsuko said as she entered the room, clipboard in hand. "I don't think we've been properly introduced; I'm Dr. Ritsuko Akagi," she said as she held out her hand.

"Suzaku Kururugi," Suzaku said as he took it. "You're the resident doctor, then."

"And nurse, and psychologist, and part-time researcher," she laughed. "Makes you wonder, doesn't it? We can spend billions of dollars on one machine, but not a cent more than necessary on medical help," she said dryly. Seeing the look on Suzaku's face only made her more cheerful. "Don't worry, it's not really like that; I've got plenty of staff working under me at all times. It's just I prefer to take a more personal touch when it comes to EVA pilots."

"Thank you, Doctor," Suzaku said. "Anything I should be aware of?"

"Actually, no," Ritsuko said, flipping through the pages on her clipboard. "You seem to be as healthy as you can possibly be, especially considering what you went through. Nothing broken, nothing serious."

"And the Vocalist? Is she all right?"

"She's fine," Ritsuko assured him. "In fact, she's recuperating on the floor below us right now."

"That's good to hear," Suzaku said, relieved. "From the way Dr. Ikari spoke, I thought he was going to have her chucked down the garbage disposal or something."

"You've seen what a Vocalist can do," Ritsuko said. "Would you think they are expendable? It's cheaper and more efficient to simply treat their injuries rather than clone a new one."

"Yeah… I guess so," Suzaku said, uncomfortable with the way Ritsuko talked about the Vocalist like just another resource. "What about my teammates? Are they okay?"

Ritsuko nodded. "They're fine. Shinji and Aida were very impressed with what you did out there, in fact."

"Shinji and Aida? What about Toji and Asuka?"

"You want the good news or the bad news first?"

"That's not a good sign."

"I think Toji's impressed too, but he's a bit miffed that both his girlfriend and his sister are crushing on you-"

"Huh?"

"-though if anyone's taking this hard, it's Asuka," Ritsuko plowed on relentlessly, grinning at the bewilderment on Suzaku's face. "Being publicly upstaged by a rookie? If she turned any greener, she'd start growing roots."

"You can't be serious," Suzaku began, grinning a grin that disappeared as the rest of Ritsuko's words sank in. "Wait- publicly upstaged? And what's this about Toji's girlfriend and sister? I've never met any of them! I've barely spoken to Toji!"

Ritsuko didn't answer at first, instead handing over a newspaper to a curious Suzaku. As soon as he saw the headline, his eyes goggled. "Teenage Wonder Saves Nirai-Kanai? What's- How-"

"Apparently some reporters decided to stay behind while everyone else was doing the sensible thing and running away," Ritsuko explained. "The footage is being broadcast all over the world, along with the name of the heroic rookie who took down a bulletproof monster with a knife, Suzaku Kururugi."

Suzaku couldn't respond; instead, he just sat there gaping stupidly at Ritsuko.

"NERV is loving it, of course- after all the flak we got for engaging in what was apparently a Mulian vanity project, we're now a global hero."

"Oh…uh… okay…" Suzaku responded, when something clicked in his head. "Doctor-"

"Ritsuko, please."

"Ritsuko, those things… I know this sounds crazy, but they kinda remind me of our EVAs. And, well, the Mulians don't seem to be the kind of people who would waste time and resources on a vanity project."

Ritsuko's eyes hardened. "You're not the only suspicious one. Shinji's been bugging me and Misato about it since he carried you in yesterday. Already there's speculation about what it was, and why we seemed so prepared for it. Take into account the Mulian High Priestess's visit in a few days- well, you can imagine how things are going. On the bright side, you've certainly given us a good platform to start from."

"You're welcome," Suzaku said with momentary amusement. "So, am I well enough to get up now?"

"You are," Ritsuko said, handing him a change of clothes. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Suzaku said. "I just don't like lying around in bed all day."

"Maybe you should talk to Maya," Ritsuko said dryly under her breath.

"What was that, Ritsuko?"

"Nothing, just thinking aloud. Have a good day."

"I will."

As Suzaku stepped out of the room, he found himself being accosted by Asuka. "Oh hey, Asuka-"

"What were you thinking?" Asuka snarled. "Were you even thinking at all in the first place?"

"Huh?"

"I could have taken him on, but nooo, you had to be the hero and knock me off my groove!"

"What? What are you talking about?" Suzaku responded. "I saved your life!"

"Uh-huh, yeah," Asuka said dismissively. "And I guess that was what your long and illustrious service with NERV told y- oh wait, that was your first day on the job! Which means that you couldn't read the battlefield and its participants any better than you could read anything longer than a menu!"

Suzaku goggled in disbelief for the second time in five minutes. "Well… fine!" he said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Go ahead, think what you want! You're just jealous you got upstaged by a rookie!"

"Oh, so that's what you're calling it?" Asuka asked sweetly. "I prefer to call it pride before a fall, but hey, whatever floats your boat."

"You were in danger or being blasted to bits!"

"I was merely awaiting the right time to strike! You saw how those things homed in on us while we were flying! And you had to go throw things off by knocking me off my feet, getting blasted away, and giving it time to recover!"

Suzaku sighed. "Look, what do you want, Asuka?" he asked, putting a hand to his head.

"Dinner at 8, at 'Yakitate!'. It's a bakery slash café down by the harbor. They make great bread, we should try some."

"…what?"

"Like I said, dinner at 8. Tomorrow's fine too, if you need to make other arrangements. You better say yes, if you don't want another stay in Ritsuko's care. I know it sounds tempting, but go with me on this."

"…yes?" Suzaku managed to say.

"Good! I'll pick you up from your place. Wear something nice. Were you going somewhere?"

The bewildered Suzaku simply pointed at the elevator behind Asuka. "Oh go ahead then," she said. She stood watching as he stepped toward the elevator, never really taking her eyes off him.

"You broke his brain," Ritsuko said, half disapprovingly, half amused.

"Duh, that was the whole point," Asuka said, as if pointing out something to a simple child.

"He'll be paying?"

"Oh, of course," Asuka grinned. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

Neither of them noticed the elevator was going down.

(scene change)

_She looks so fragile_, Suzaku thought. He placed his hand on the glass of the observation ward. Save for him and the Vocalist, there wasn't another soul in the wards. Though the place was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, there wasn't a nearby human soul to monitor them. Suzaku wondered at this apparent breach of patient trust, then he noticed the sign above the wards- 'Vocalist Section', and he felt something deep within him recoil.

_Worth enough to have the best equipment, but won't be missed if the machines fail, _he thought grimly. He turned his head back to the Vocalist. Though it must have taken a human hand to place the bandages on her head and eye, as well as place her arm in a cast and sling, it didn't mollify Suzaku one bit. If anything, it made him angrier- they just patched her up and left her to the mercy of the machines.

"Pilot Kururugi? Why do you stand there?"

Suzaku stepped back, and the Vocalist opened her one remaining eye. "Forgive me, Pilot Kururugi. I did not wish to bother y-"

"No, no," Suzaku said hastily. "That's not it," he added. "I mean, you're not bothering me. Hell, if anything, I should be apologizing for bothering you." He fell quiet for a moment. "Not to mention putting you in there in the first place."

"It was an occupational hazard, Pilot Kururugi. It is to be expected."

"I know, I know," Suzaku said ruefully. "Doesn't make me feel any better, though."

"Why, Pilot Kururugi?" Despite the lack of expression on the Vocalist's face, the tone of bewilderment was audible; faint, true, but audible nonetheless. "I am merely a Vocalist."

"So? What's that supposed to mean to me?"

"I… do not understand the question," the Vocalist replied, a faint shadow of bewilderment passing over her face.

"Well, you said you were a Vocalist, right? What's that? Tell me what you say a Vocalist is."

"I am a clone incorporating modified human and Mulian DNA, designed to be an interface between the human, Mulian and the technological aspects of the EVA."

"Not to me you're not," Suzaku replied, a crooked grin on his face.

"But why, Pilot Kururugi?"

"Well, you've got two arms, two legs, a pair of eyes, just like me," Suzaku began, "and judging by the look of those bandages, your blood's red, just like mine," he said, though he didn't really want to look at those bandages too closely. "Seems to me like you're just as human as I am."

The Vocalist looked at him for a few moments, then turned her head back to the ceiling. "If it is convenient for you, Pilot Kururugi, I would like to be left alone for the time being."

Suzaku was taken aback at the apparent snub. "Oh… okay."

As he approached the elevator, he heard the Vocalist speak. "Forgive me if I offended you, Pilot Kururugi, I did not wish to sound so cold. I am merely tired, and wish to rest."

"You don't have to say that," Suzaku said, relief inexplicably flowing through him. "And for the record, you don't have to call me Pilot Kururugi. Why not call me Suzaku instead?"

"I am afraid that would not be proper, nor would it be within proper protocol."

Suzaku stood for a moment, before his crooked grin returned. "Well, what if I ordered you to call me Suzaku?"

"Then I would address you as Suzaku, Pilot Kururugi. Was that an order?"

"Hell no!" Suzaku laughed. "Actually, that makes me even less willing to give that order. Looks like I'll have to find some way to make you call me Suzaku without pulling rank."

"It is entirely within your rights, Pilot Kururugi."

"So? Where's the fun in that?" Suzaku asked. "See you around, Vocalist."

"If you wish, Pilot Kururugi."

Suzaku nodded, and only then did he allow the elevator doors to swing shut.

_Well, this is certainly an interesting place, _he thought.


	6. Meetings, Part II

**Chapter 6: Meetings, Part II**

Yui put down the pen she had been holding and sighed as Ritsuko knocked on the door again. True, she hadn't opened the door yet, but of all the people in the complex, only Ritsuko had the rank and the guts to be able to confront the Ikaris up front. That, and the fact that she and Yui had none-too-secretly competed for the same man while the three of them were in college was also another contributing factor to her brazenness in dealing with the Yui.

"Yes, Ritsuko?" Yui said calmly. Ritsuko stood in the doorway, fist raised to knock again, a troubled look on her face.

"Yui," Ritsuko replied, letting her arm drop to her side. "I know you're smart enough to figure out why I'm here."

"I'd like to think I was," Yui smiled. "Come in," she added, motioning inside the office.

As soon as she heard the door shut, Ritsuko spoke. "Those things the EVAs fought- they were quite powerful, weren't they? Not even the most powerful conventional Dolem would have been able to fight them for long, and a Knightmare Frame wouldn't have any hope in the first place."

"Your point being?"

"My point being," Ritsuko said hotly, "is that the only things we could have realistically fought them with were the EVAs- and _they _performed spectacularly!"

"You're complaining about winning, Ritsuko?" Yui said in an amused tone.

"It's not the victory that's got me worried, it's how easy it was! I'm not stupid, Yui- those EVAs were made for the express purpose of fighting those creatures, and you know it." Her eyes narrowed. "And what a pleasant surprise it is that the Mulian High Priestess is coming in a week's time."

"Ritsuko-"

"I'm not done yet, Yui. I'm not stupid, and you can bet that there's other people who aren't stupid either, and they'd also be able to put two and two together to reach the same conclusion I did."

"Which is?"

"That NERV knew they were coming," Ritsuko said quietly. "And we did, didn't we? Or at least, you and the Mulians did."

She walked up to Yui. "It's a miracle, you know, that despite the devastation nobody died in the attack- not yet anyway," she said with a grim look. "Hundreds injured, several seriously, and I have information that tells of at least one person in a coma."

She took a deep breath, closed, her eyes for a moment, then opened then again to look at Yui. "I'm not much of a sentimental person, Yui, and I understand that sometimes the need for security means secrets must be kept, but there are limits, especially when lives are at stake. Lemuria practically gave us a blank check to make the EVAs; couldn't you have asked for more?"

Yui sighed again. "Ritsuko, what do you want?"

"An explanation would be nice to start with."

Yui smirked mirthlessly. "Well then, I'm sorry to disappoint you, as I don't have one. At least, one that you do not know already."

"What?"

"As I said, neither I nor Gendo have anything to hide, at least not from you."

"SEELE?"

Yui shook her head. "I know that I and Gendo outrank you, Ritsuko, but you have the same security clearance as we do. Anything SEELE decides we should know, so will you." She sighed. "Truthfully, Ritsuko, I'm as worried about this as you are. All I and Gendo did was build and design the EVAs to Lemurian specifications; trust me, when the High Priestess comes to visit, you won't be the only one looking to her for answers."

"If you say so," Ritsuko replied. "Though not very reassuring, you have to admit, and I'm certainly not willing to tell the people that NERV's bewilderment extends to the highest levels."

"Neither is Misato, poor thing," Yui grinned as she thought of the woman NERV had appointed as its public face, and the hard time she would have facing the said public. "Perhaps I should talk to Kaji; perhaps have him and his team spread a few rumors, maybe even fan a conspiracy theory or two?"

"I think this has moved far beyond containment by mere conspiracy theories," Ritsuko said grimly. "Like it or not, there's just no way for us to get out of this unscathed. At least, none that I could see."

(scene change)

Shinji entered his apartment to the smell of freshly-cooked food, and the sound of humming coming from the kitchen; Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy', Kaworu's favourite piece of music, and one that he played (or in this case, hummed) at every opportunity.

"You do know there was an evacuation order, right?" Shinji grinned as he peered into the kitchen. True, it had been almost a day since the order was given, but people were still coming back from wherever they had retreated to, while the more cautious-minded still hadn't come back. The presence of NERV staff around the creature's impact crater didn't help with returning an aura of normality either.

"Oh, I did," Kaworu said as he cracked an egg into the noodles that were currently boiling on the stove. "I also knew that you were one of the pilots fighting that creature. As we both can see, I was right in not worrying."

"Thanks," Shinji said. This wasn't the first time Kaworu had complimented him on his piloting skills, not by a long shot, but damn if Shinji's heart didn't swell every time Kaworu did it. "But really, I wasn't the guy who took down that thing."

"So?" Kaworu said, pouring the noodles in equal measures into two bowls. "You're here, aren't you? That's good enough for me," he said, picking up the bowls and placing them on the dining table. "Now come on; it's been a while since I saw you, and we've got a lot of catching up to do."

"Kaworu, I just picked you up from the airport yesterday."

"And we spent all of one hour together with my sister and her girlfriend, after which the call to sortie went out," Kaworu pointed out. "_And_ the reason I was at the airport in the first place was because I was contractually bound to spend three months touring the world. Can you blame a guy for feeling a bit cheated?" he grinned.

"I guess not," Shinji laughed. "…I missed you, Kaworu," he said after a short pause.

"Same here," Kaworu replied, and they spent the next few minutes peacefully eating the dinner Kaworu had made, after which they moved to the living room, and spent a few peaceful minutes just watching TV, Kaworu sitting up, Shinji lying down with his head in Kaworu's lap. And for that short, wonderful span of time, they were not Kaworu and Shinji, violin virtuoso and EVE pilot, but just plain ol' Kaworu and Shinji, two men who loved each other.

After a while, Kaworu stretched his arms. "You know Shinji, I think I'll go take a bath now.'

"Oh, okay," Shinji said, sitting up, his eyes still fixed on the TV.

Kaworu looked at him for a silent moment, grinning slightly. _Ah, Shinji, don't ever change_. He leaned in forward, and placed his arms around a surprised Shinji. He nuzzled the bewildered man in the neck for a few seconds, before whispering in Shinji's ear. "I _said_, Shinji, that I'm going _to take a bath_."

"What?" Shinji asked in momentary bewilderment, then- "Oh. _Oh_."

(scene change)

Suzaku stepped out of the bathroom, grimacing as he slipped slightly. Outside, lying on his bed, was the suit Asuka insisted that he wear for their date, which, if he needed reminding, was at eight, formal casual, and he'd better not be late! Understood? Good! See you then!

The young pilot picked up the dress shirt, a finely made, if generic piece of clothing Kaji had lent him with a wide grin and a compliment on his taste of women. Suzaku didn't have the heart to tell his grinning superior just how off the mark the compliment was.

"Maybe I should just call it off?" Suzaku asked himself, as he looked at the reflection in the mirror, but Asuka's tone had left him with no alternative. Kaji assured him that the suit, being from his own younger days, would fit, but obviously the two of them had underestimated the contrast between Suzaku's slender frame and Kaji's muscular bulk.

_Oh well, at least the chinos fit,_ he mused.

He fidgeted in the shirt a little more in a futile attempt to get the thing to fit, and gave up in favor of a polo shirt, especially since it was fifteen to eight. He walked to the door, opened it-

-and saw Asuka standing there. While not exactly dressed to kill, the denim jacket, jeans and white top would definitely cause more than its fair share of whiplash injuries. "Oh… well, you look nice, Asuka."

"Damn right I look nice!" Asuka grinned. "Do you know how much I spent on this thing? Now come on, let's go!'

"Oh, uh, you have a car, then?" Suzaku asked, reasoning that it would be better (safer, at least) if he just went along with the flow.

"I do," Asuka replied chirpily as she led the unresisting Suzaku to the service lift. The door opened to reveal a few shocked engineers and comm staff making way for the two. Suzaku grimaced; he hadn't spent long in NERV, but it was obvious that by this time tomorrow his 'date' would have reached every ear on the base. For her part, Asuka seemingly didn't give a damn, and continued to exude an air of sheer confidence as she led Suzaku outside.

"So how's it feel to be NERV's golden boy, Suzaku?" she grinned as she gunned the engine of her car.

"We haven't even got out of the base and you're already complimenting me?" Suzaku laughed.

"And why not?" Asuka asked, driving onto the vehicle lift that was the only way out of NERV's underground parking. "Don't tell me you don't like it!"

"I'm not complaining," Suzaku said, holding up his hands in placation. "I have to admit, I'm kinda surprised, actually- from what Dr. Akagi was saying, I thought you would have been angry at what I did."

"Eh?" Asuka asked, a look of comical incredulity on her face. "Why'd she say that? Don't get me wrong," she added, turning back to face the road, "I like the spotlight, but then again, who doesn't? I'm just more honest about it, that's all."

"Ah, that's good to hear."

"Besides," Asuka said with a mischievous smile. "The fact that you're not only NERV's, but the press's star means that I don't have anything to do for payback- there's nothing I can't do that the press can't do worse."

"…Thanks for the reassurance."

"No problem!" Asuka smirked, before giving Suzaku a slightly softer look. "Don't worry, I'm just messing with you; you don't mind, do you?"

"What? No, no, I don't mind," Suzaku replied.

"You sure?" Asuka asked, and for a moment, it seemed to Suzaku that Asuka had lost the bluster she had been exhibiting a moment ago.

"No, really, I don't," Suzaku reassured her. "It's just that… well, you are somewhat, well, _forward_, if you get my meaning."

The devil-may-care grin returned to Asuka's face, and it was as if the previous moment had not happened at all. "Of course I am! You can't get anywhere if you're just willing to sit by and let people walk all over you!"

She pursed her lips, a thought having occurred to her. "Okay, I'll admit, I tend to go a little overboard with the attitude, but from my point of view, that's hardly a bad thing, is it? And if anyone asks," she said, looking at Suzaku, "I'll just give them that old Freudian excuse of 'Blame my mother.' "

"Your mother?"

"Yep! If you think I'm too hot to handle," Asuka said, a little emphasis on the 'hot', "you should see mom! She was one of the people who worked on the EVAs, you know?"

"Really? Wow, that's impressive," Suzaku replied sincerely.

"…yeah, impressive."

Apparently wasn't the right thing to say. "Did I say something wrong?" Suzaku asked, surprised by Asuka's sudden mood swing, and somewhat perturbed by the grimace she wore.

"What? No, no, don't worry about it," Asuka said hastily, before sighing. "I'm just… I just don't like being compared to mom, that's all. Trust me, when you're not only the kid of a certified genius, but a prodigy yourself- well, the expectations can get kinda heavy."

She let out another sigh, watching the road for a moment. "I guess that's why I joined the military. The uniforms, the strict ranks, the camaraderie… I guess it was a place where I could, you know, just blend in. Don't get me wrong," she added, the mad grin returning. "I like stranding out, and what better way is there to do that than in an eighty-foot tall battle Dolem, eh?"

"I guess not," Suzaku replied.

"How about you, Suzaku? What's your story?"

"Huh? Me?" Suzaku laughed. "Well, what is there to tell? I didn't know what to do after finishing high school, so I enlisted in a military college, and now here I am."

"I'll need a whole lot more to go on than that, Suzaku," Asuka replied. "They don't just hire anyone to pilot an EVA, and I'm living proof of that."

"Well, what do you want? A hidden past? A terrible secret?" Suzaku shrugged, grinning ruefully. "Sorry, but I don't have any of those."

"So you're telling me that until today, you've lived a perfectly normal, boring life?" Asuka asked, to which Suzaku nodded. Very worryingly (in his opinion), Asuka's smile widened. "Well then, looks like I'm going to have to change that! Let's get this show on the road! Oh, and you're paying."

(scene change)

Lelouch watched the footage on the screen. Even though he knew what the outcome would be, he found himself praying desperately within that it would be otherwise. So much destruction… so much power! He saw the preliminary footage of the thing plow through the guardian Dolems guarding the island- such a display of strength! Only NERV's accursed machines could take it down, and even then after a great deal of effort.

Where had it come from? What was it in the first place? The news report he was watching told that NERV agents had cordoned off the area; the place was swarming with not just human soldiers, but troops in power armour, small Dolems, and even Nirvash-class Knightmare Frames, the only Frames to be produced exclusively by Mulians.

"How does it feel like to be the powerless ones for a change?" Lelouch whispered to himself, grinning savagely.

"What was that you said, Lelouch?" Nunally asked, as she came into the living room, a glass of water in her hand.

"Hm? Oh nothing, just talking to myself," Lelouch said. "Looking at all the destruction… it's hard to not feel anything, isn't it?"

Nunally looked at the screen. "Yes, yes it is…" she said, and Lelouch couldn't help but smile softly. Yes, she pitied the Mulians, but then again this was the girl who, in her youth, argued with the local pastor that God should have talked to Satan, maybe persuaded him to come around. Forgiveness was Nunally's basic state of being, and one Lelouch was willing to look beyond.

"Still, this could bode well for business," Lelouch said. "Since Dolems and the like are exclusively Mulian, people would of course look to Knightmare Frames for national defence, just in case one of those things make a return appearance."

"Lelouch! How could you say something so dreadful?"

Lelouch shrugged. "Easily, Nunally; when you're in business, you see this sort of thing. Besides, if the Mulians shared a few of their designs, allowed us to mass produce them, then things would be much better, don't you think?"

Nunally glared at him. "Lelouch, I know you like to play the devil's advocate, but there is such a thing as going too far."

Lelouch glanced back at the television. "If you say so, Nunally," he said. Outwardly calm, his heart was racing as he remembered one of the phone numbers he had listed in his address book. Innocuous enough, it was, innocent enough- but so was the metal that would be used to make a bullet.

He looked back at Nunally. "If you say so."

As soon as she went to bed, he would have to call Keel.


End file.
